Manifolds and manifold attachment components are well known in the combustion engine industry. Typically, a manifold has both an intake manifold for ducting air or a desired combustible fuel-air mixture to the engine cylinders and an exhaust manifold for ducting exhaust gasses from the combustion process away from the engine cylinders. At the interface with the engine, the manifold is typically tubular in shape and is aligned with an intake or exhaust port of the engine cylinder head. While the manifold may have attachment features fabricated into the manifold to affix it to the cylinder head, typically a retaining or mounting collar is used. The tubular end of the manifold is received by a like aperture in the collar, and by attaching the collar to the cylinder head, the manifold is aligned with the desired port in the cylinder head and gaseously sealed so that the combustible or exhaust gasses do not leak from the interface.
Depending on the engine and manifold design, the manner of retaining and gaseously sealing the manifold-cylinder head interface can vary from engine to engine. Because engines and vehicle components are usually fabricated and sub-assembled at different geographical sites, these components by necessity are transported from the fabrication and subassembly sites to a single final assembly site where the finished vehicle is assembled. The transported components must arrive at the final assembly point undamaged and ready for assembly. Thus, depending on the component, various measures, such as specific packing materials and temporary fixtures, must be employed to maintain the sub-assembled integrity of the component.
One such instance of a necessary protective measure involves the transport of motorcycle engines from the engine manufacturing site to the final assembly site. The intake manifold is affixed to the cylinder head with a mounting collar. The mounting collar employs a seal between the collar, the cylinder head, and the manifold to prevent the leakage of undesired gasses at the interface of the manifold with the cylinder head. With the tubular configuration of the manifold at the interface with the cylinder head and unsupported at an opposite end, the manifold is subject to unwanted rotation relative to the mounting collar. Such rotation may damage the seal, and thus a defect in the finished vehicle. Presently, special temporary brackets are utilized on the engine-manifold assembly to prevent rotation. The bracket must be removed prior to installation of the engine in the vehicle and thereby subjecting the manifold to unwanted rotation during the rigors of final assembly. The necessary installation and subsequent removal of the temporary bracket adds unwanted labor and material that is purely preventative in nature and does not add to the final vehicle functionality.
Therefore, there is a need in the industry for an anti-rotation system between vehicle components such as an anti-rotation system to prevent undesired rotation of engine components with respect to one another prior to final assembly without utilizing temporary fixtures or brackets.